Going barefoot (unshod) is the gentlest way of walking & running, and can symbolize a way of living — authentic, vulnerable & sensitive to our surroundings. Whether its feeling warm sand beneath your toes, carefully making your way over sharp rocks in the darkness, or simply running on concrete, barefooting is fun. It's living with the lightest impact, removing a barrier between us and nature.

This is only for barefoot discussion, no minimalist shoe discussion. This is simply to be more focused, not elitist. This reddit was inspired by this post by xorandor.

Q&A

Q: What about glass?

A: Glass is not an issue, when you go barefoot you watch where you step. There is less glass than you think.

Q: Is barefooting painful?

A: No. After a period of adjustment, your foot sensations will return to normal and going barefoot will feel like a good massage. The nerves in your feet become hyper sensitive in an attempt to feel the ground if you wear cushioned shoes over long periods of time.

Q: How do i start barefooting?

A: Just do it! Take off your shoes, go for a walk outside.

Q: When I take my socks off, my feet stink. Don't your feet stink?

A: Nope, by going barefoot, sweat evaporates and does not stink.

Rules:

All discussions must be about barefoot activities or lifestyle.

Keep it safe for work. If you wouldn't say it to your mom, don't post it.

About ten minutes ago, when I was boarding my morning bus, I was told by the bus driver that not wearing shoes was not allowed on my city transit system. He said something about talking with his supervisor and determining that it wasn't allowed because of some bylaws and health and safety regulations. (And also something about security footage and noticing from there, though I doubt it.) I asked for the exact bylaw number, and he said he'll tell me next week. At this point I think he's just bluffing. I've read the main bus behaviour bylaw and there isn't anything on bare feet.

I did a search for the words "foot", "feet", and "shoe" in the linked PDFs, and non yielded results except for "don't put feet on the seats".

So where do I go from here? I'm sure that being barefoot on the bus is perfectly allowed. Should I humble him next week or risk getting kicked off the bus?

Update: went to city hall to check, and the bylaw office told me there is no such bylaw. However, there may be policies at the transit authority, so I'm waiting to hear back from the commendation or concern form I filed. Meanwhile I'll just tell the driver that there is no bylaw prohibiting bare feet and that he'll have to prove the existence any such rules if he is to prevent me from boarding.

Update 2: Yesterday morning (July 22) was pretty uneventful. I asked the bus driver and he said that "drivers weren't supposed to deal with passengers directly, and that someone will come on the bus to talk to (me) about it". Not sure if he's just trying to avoid the question.

Update 3: I received an email response from the division supervisor. Here's the relevant sentence quoted:

I am sorry you have been given conflicting information but neither ETS nor the City of Edmonton have any policy specifically relating to the requirement of footwear on buses. Please accept my apology on behalf of ETS for the way you were treated.

Just as I thought, no rules against barefooting on the bus. I shall print that response out and use it if there is any question on the part of the driver.

Update 4: This morning (July 24) a transit officer came on to the bus and discussed the matter with me. Apparently there was a complaint from some lady to the bus driver about me, one of the concerns may be that my feet smell (hah!) or is otherwise unsanitary. So this case actually falls under the "harassment" section of the transit bylaw. I wish the bus driver would have told me that in the first place. I'm not sure what to do at this point. It seems frivolous to complain about someone's footwear (or lack thereof). It's as if I complained about someone's feet stinking and their shoes having been to unclean places, it would get some action. Sort of sad that these sort of decisions can be passed based on assumptions. (BTW, the transit officer said that "there are some ...dirty people who come on to the bus, and the bus floor is not the cleanest place to go barefoot." He suggests me keep on some sort of footwear, for my protection.)

(I feel slightly guilty about delaying the bus for 5 minutes...)

Update 5 (July 30): And we have resolution.

Going barefoot continues to be your choice no matter what route you are on; ETS still recommends footwear for your safety. If there are any future concerns raised, we will respond using the same criteria I have given you.

Context from previous message:

During your discussion with the Transit Officer on July 24, it was clarified that while there is no specific bylaw regarding the wearing of footwear, there is a bylaw that speaks to the “harassment” of others on ETS. This can include, but is not limited to, personal body odour. As none was noted at the time of your conversation, this is not an issue for us at this time.

I have this happen to me all the time, people try to tell you it is a health code violation, this is not true. Some places can claim it is a liability issue, but they should have signs posted saying they require shoes. On that note, I pretty much always carry a cheap pair of flip-flops with me that are ready to be deployed to my feet if needed.